Gartner coined the term Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM). Its July 2022 report about implementing this approach stated, “By 2026, organizations prioritizing their security investments based on a continuous exposure management program will be three times less likely to suffer from a breach,” implying that those that don’t will be considerably greater risk.

But what is it exactly? The first thing to say is that it isn’t a new tool or technology, and it’s more of a fully joined-up thinking approach to managing cybersecurity in an age when our threat surfaces are growing broader daily. CTEM is a cybersecurity strategy that constantly exposes an organization’s networks, systems, and assets to simulated attacks to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses. CTEM aims to improve the organization’s overall security posture by identifying and addressing these areas of concern before real attackers can exploit them.

CTEM is often implemented through a combination of automated tools and manual testing and may include activities such as penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and red teaming. By regularly exposing the organization’s assets to simulated attacks, CTEM helps them identify and fix vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

This is becoming increasingly relevant because organizations are more connected today. Just one example is the rise in remote working. While it’s been a mini-revolution, it’s also opened up organizations to new avenues of attack, as remote employees must safely connect to a company’s critical assets via their own devices.

While enterprises will undoubtedly have security systems in place, Gartner’s report notes that they “…fail at reducing their exposure to threats through self-assessment of risks because of unrealistic, siloed and tool-centric approaches. Security and risk management leaders must initiate and mature a continuous threat exposure management program to stay ahead of threats.”

Reflectiz offers a Continuous Web Threat Management solution that represents a significant contribution to the CTEM approach with its specific focus on protecting organizations from the potential vulnerabilities that may arise from third-party apps on their websites.

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